Car-buffer.



M, L. DEAN. GAR BUFFER. QPPLIQATION FILED MAR. 17, 1908.

Patented may 11, 1909.

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MARK LYLE DEAN, or cEN'rERvILLE, TENNEssEE.

OAR-B UFFER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 1909.

Application filed. March 17, 1908. Serial No. 421,693.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVIARK L. DEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Genter ville, in the county of Hickman and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Car-Buffer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to railway buffers for use at the terminals of railway tracks for the purpose of stopping cars which are not brought to a standstill before reaching the buffer.

The object of the invention is to provide a buffer made up of yieldingly and movably connected sections designed to gradually and efiiciently retard the movement of a car or other structure directed thereagainst.

A further object is to provide a novel arrangement of spring controlled members whereby the springs can be brought into play successively and in proportion to the force with which the car is directed thereagainst.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings is shown the preferred form of the invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through a buffer embodying the present improvements. Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof, a portion of one end of the buffer being removed. Fig. 3 is a section on line AB, Fig. 2, the springs of the cross heads being removed.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference, 1 designates the terminal portion of a track and between the rails is mounted a base 2 preferably in the form of a heavy metal plate. Standards 3 are disposed at the ends of the rails and are braced in any suitable manner as by means of rods 4 extending downward from their upper ends and pivotally connected to the upper por tion of each standard is a beam 5 which extends longitudinally above one of the rails, the two beams being connected by a clamping member 6 preferably in the form of a heavy cross piece of wood or other material. This clamping member rests upon the upper inclined edges of the sides 7 of a housing which is slidably mounted on base 2. The sides 7 are connected at their front ends by a front plate 8 and at their outer ends by super-posed cross strips 9 and 10 and longitudinal slots 11 are formed within the sides 7 while an opening 12 is formed preferably within the center of the front plate 8. The upper edges of the sides 7 are inclined upwardly toward the front plate 8 so that it becomes impossible for the housing to slide toward the standards 3 except by raising the clamping member 6. It will thus be seen that the housing acts as a wedge during said movement. The clamping member 6 is held yieldingly pressed upon the upper edges of the sides 7 by means of springs 13 which are suitably connected to the end portions of the clamping member and also to the bed of the track, said springs extending outside of and adjacent the housing as clearly indicated. in Fig. 3. In order thatthe backward sliding movement of the housing may be yieldingly retarded upper and lower sets of springs 14 and 15 respectively are provided. The upper springs 14 connect clamping member 6 with the cross strip 9 while the lower springs 15 connect the cross strip 10 with the base 2.

A cross head 16 is mounted within the housing and has reduced ends 17 designed to travel within the slots 11, there being shoulders 18 upon the cross head for holding it against lateral movement relative to the housing. A stem 19 extends from the cross head and is slidably mounted within the opening 12 and located at the outer end of this stem is a head 20 which is supported above the center of the track and is designed to be contacted by a car moved against the buffer. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the sides of the housing are preferably provided with forward extensions 21 designed to rest upon the base These extensions project any desired distance from the front plate 8 and serve to prevent the housing from tilting under any downward pressure which might be exerted against the head 20 while the buffer is in action. In order that the movement of the cross head within the housing may be retarded superposed sets of springs 22 are em loyed. One set of these springs is connectec to the upper face of the cross head while the lower set is secured to the lower face thereof and the springs of both sets are connected to the front plate 8 above and below the stem 19 respectively.

When a car is directed against the buffer herein described it will first contact with the head 20 and force the stem 19 longitudinally relatively to the housing. This will cause the connections between said members and disclamping member upon said slidable memsenses springs 22 to be placed under stress and mo- 1 tion will be transmitted through these springs to the housing which will in turn be slid lon gitudinally upon base 2 and cause the springs 14 and 15 to be placed under stress. This sliding movement of the housing is further retarded by the clamping member 6 which is yieldingly pressed thereon by the springs 13 and will be pushed upward by the inclined edges of the sides 8 when the housing is forced backward. It will thus be seen that the springs 22 are first brought into play after which the springs 14 and 15 are actuated and these in turn are followed by the extension of the springs 13. As indicated in the drawings the springs 14 and 15 can be made heavier than the springs and the springs 13 can be heavier than the springs 14: and 15 so that the springs will be placed under stress in proper succession and proportionately to the force exerted against the butter by the car. Moreover, by using the arrangement of springs illustrated the stopping of the car will be comparatively gradual because the yielding action of the buffer will gradually diminish as the different springs are brought into play.

As shown particularly in Fig. 1 an additional means for retarding the movement of the housing may be provided. This means consists of a cross head 23 slidably mounted on the base 2 and having cushioning springs 24 interposed between it and a rigid cross beam 25 connected to the standards 3. It is to be understood of course that the various springs used in connection with this buffer can be of any desired type so as to have the proper strength and elasticity. "Where necessary more than one spring can be used in lieu of any one of the springs shown in the accompanying drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. A buiier comprising a plurality of members movable in the same direction and elastic connections between said members disosed to be brought successively into action by the application of pressure to one of the members.

2. A bufl'er comprising a plurality of members slidable in the same direction, elastic posed to be brought successively into action during the application of pressure to one of the members, a clamping member, and elastic means connected thereto and to one of the slidable members for binding said ber.

3. In a buffer the combination with movably connected members, and elastic connections therebetween, one of said members constituting a wedge; of a clamping member bearing upon and disposed to be lifted by said wedge member, elastic means for holding the clamping member in predetermined position, and elastic connections between the wedge and clamping members.

1. In a buffer the combination with a base and a movable clamping member su ported thereabove; of a member mounted etween the base and clamping member and movable to lift said clamping member, an elastic connection between said members, and elastic means for holding the clam ing member yieldingly upon the other mem er.

5. in a butler the combination with a'base and a clamping member movably supported thereabove; of a member mounted between the base and clamping member and movable to raise the clamping member, elastic means for retarding the movement of the interposed member, and elastic means for holding the binding member upon and retarding the movement of the inserted member.

(3. In a buffer the combination with abase and a clamping member movably supported thereabove; of a member mounted between the base and clamping member and movable to raise the clamping member, elastic means for retarding the movement of the inter osed member, elastic means for holding the inding member upon and retarding the movement of the inserted member, a member movably mounted within the inserted member, and an elastic connection between said last mentioned members.

7 A butler-comprising relatively movable members, one of said members constituting a lifting device, elastic connections :between said members, and a clamping member yieldingly pressed upon said lifting member.

8. A buffer comp ising relatively movable members, one of said members extending beyond the other, elastic connections between the members, a spring controlled clamping member bearing upon one of the first mentioned members, an elastic connection between said clamping member and the member u on which it is mounted.

9. A but er comprising a s ring controlled clamping member, a wedge-1i re member slidably mounted below and supporting said clamping member, anelastic connection between said members, and a slidable member projecting beyond and yieldingly connected to the first mentioned slidable member.

10. The combination with a base, a standard, and a clamping member movably con nected to the standard and above the base; of a wedge-like member slidably mounted upon the base and supporting the clamping member, elastic means for holding the member normally positioned upon the slidable member, an elastic connection between said members, a member slidably mounted within and extending beyond the first mentioned or slidable member, and an elastic connection between said slidable members.

11. The combination with a base and a clamping member movably mounted thereabove; of a wedge-like member slidably mounted upon the base and supporting the clamping member, elastic connections between said members and between the slidable member and the base respectively, and elastic means for maintaining the clam ing member in contact with the slidable mem er.

12. The combination with a base and a clamping member supported thereabove; of awedge-like housing slidably mounted on the base and having upwardly inclined 0rtions contacted by the clamping mem er, yieldable means for holding said member in contact with the housing, and elastic connections between the housing and the base and clamping member respectively.

13. The combination with a base and a clamping member supported thereabove; of a Wedge-like housing slidably mounted on the base and having upwardly inclined ortions contacted by the clamping mem er, yieldable means for holding said member in contact with the housing, elastic connections between the housing and the base and clamping member respectively, a cross head slidably mounted within the housing, elastic connections between the housing and cross head, and a buffer stem movable with the cross head and projected beyond the housing.

14. The combination with a base and a clamping member movably mounted thereabove; of a wedge -like member slidably mounted upon the base and supporting the clamping member, elastic connections between said members and between the slidable member and the base respectively, elastic means for maintaining the clamping mem ber in contact with the slidable member, a cross head in the path of the wedge-like member, and cushioning springs for controlling the movement of the cross head.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

MARK LYLE DEAN itnesses J. W. DEASON, S. R. BOND. 

